The Fleet’s New Capital Ship

Much like the Iowa battleships of the Reagan Era, these Navy missile subs conversions are a bargain with a bang. From the Navy Times:

The Ohio is the first of a new class of submarine created in aconversion from 1970s vessels by trading nuclear-tipped ICBMs for conventionalcruise missiles and a contingent of commandos ready to be launched ontovirtually any shore through reworked missile tubes — against conventional forcesor terrorists.The sub’s cruise across the Pacific comes as China builds itssubmarine fleet into the region’s largest as part of the bulking up of itsmilitary. The voyage is the Ohio’s first deployment since the makeover, and(Capt. Andy) Hale is in the odd position of showing the ship off.It’s oddbecause the sub is all about stealth.

Unlike the entire surface fleet, these premier underwater battleships are impervious to the primary threat in modern sea conflict: the cruise missile.

…over the next few months, the Ohio will be making a very publicstatement, training intensively in some of the world’s most crowded andcontested waters and joining in exercises with America’s Asian allies. Insteadof hiding them, the Ohio will be showcasing its abilities to elude detection andoperate too deeply and quickly to be tracked.Then it will likely do what itdoes best — vanish.“Submarines are the original stealth platform,” Hale toldthe Associated Press, the only news agency allowed on board. “Submarine forceshave always viewed the Pacific as a very important strategic area … it’scertainly grown in importance in the last 10 years.”

The “public statement” comment struck me because the carrier advocates often contend their $20 billion battle groups are all the USN needs to make “show of force” to intimidate the nation’s foes. The USS Ohio, her 100+ cruise missiles and commandos proves this assumption is a false one!

Having read this I believed it was really informative. I appreciate you spending some time and effort to put this short article together. I once again find myself spending a significant amount of time both reading and leaving comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile!